Self locking container with multi-ply wall construction



Dec. 6, 1960 H. R. AGLER 2,963,211

SELF LOCKING CONTAINER WITH MULTI-PLY WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed July '7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 H R. AGLER SELF LOCKING CONTAINER WITH MULTI-PLY WALL CONSTRUCTION Dec. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7. 1958 Dec. 6, 1960 H. R. AGLER saw LOCKING conmm-za wrm uuwwu mu. cousmucmon Filed July '1, 195B 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SELF LOCKING CONTAINER WITH MULTI-PLY WALL CONSTRUCTION Harry R. Agler, Lafayette, Calif., assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 7, 1958, Ser. No. 747,061

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-34) This invention relates to containers, and particularly to containers made of paperboard or like material for holding and transporting fruit and similar articles packed in bulk.

An important object of this invention is to provide a container for handling heavy produce such as apples, potatoes or the like, wherein the side, end, and bottom walls are each of at least double thickness, and formed from a single sheet of material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a single cut and scored sheet formable into a container having rates atent multi-ply wall construction, wherein the arrangement and relation of panels affords an interlocking of parts without resort to additional or separate securing means.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an open top container formed from a single sheet of material having four-ply end walls arranged in a novel manner to afford increased stacking strength.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a container having multi-ply wall construction wherein adequate handling means may be formed in the outer wall members while maintaining smooth and uninterrupted inner article confining wall surfaces.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will appear or be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a container made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on enlarged scale, of the single blank from which the container is formed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank showing certain portions thereof folded in the first stages of container formation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 showing additional portions of the blank folded in a more advanced stage of container formation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4 showing yet further folding of blank portions in a still more advanced stage of container formation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1, but with a locking member shown displaced from its locking position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing the locking member and related container structure.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, with parts broken away, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 the reference numeral 10 indicates a container embodying the features of the present invention, comprising side walls 11, end walls 12. and bottom wall 14. As shown, the container is of the open top style normally used in handling produce, and, as will be described fully later, is of particularly strong construction making it highly suitable for the handling of large and heavy loads.

Referring now to Fig. 2, reference numeral 20 indicates a unitary blank of generally rectangular shape from which the container is formed. The blank is cut and scored to provide a centrally located main or outer bottom panel 21 having outer side panels '22 and 24 hingedly connected at opposite edges thereof along scorelines 23 and 25 respectively, and inner side panels 26 and 28 hingedly connected to the outer edges of the outer side panels 22 and 24 respectively, along closely spaced or double score lines 27 and 29 respectively, the purpose of the double scorelines to be explained later. The outer side panel 22 has hingedly connected thereto at opposite sides along scorelines 31 outer end panels 32, said outer end panels having inner end panels 34 hingedly connected thereto along spaced apart scorelines 35 and inner bottom panels 37 hingedly connected thereto along scorelines 38. The outer side panel 24 has hingedly connected thereto at opposite sides along scorelines 41 outer liner panels 42, said outer liner panels having inner liner panels 44 hingedly connected thereto along spaced apart scorelines 45.

As shown, inner bottom panels 37 are formed to provide a plurality of notches 48 and the inner side panels 26 and '23 are each formed to provide a plurality of tabs 49, whereby in a manner to be described later said tabs cooperate with said notches to lock the container in assembled condition. Also, inner side panels 26 and 28 each have opposed side edges 50, 5G, and 52, 52, respectively, formed divergently outwardly, and angled scorelines 51, 51 and 53, 53, respectively, cooperating therewith to define triangular shaped locking flaps 56, 56 and 57, 57, respectively. Inner end panels 34 each have oppositely disposed side flaps 6i) foldably connected to said panels along scorelines 61, which flaps cooperate with the side panels of the set-up container in a locking manner to be later described.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the blank 20 is shown in progressive stages of forming the container =10, and a preferred sequence of folding or manipulation of panels and flaps will now be described by reference thereto. As a group, panels 34, 32, 26, and 22 (six panels in all) are folded upwardly about scorelines 38 and 23 to a plane normal to the plane of original blank dis position, whereupon folding panels 32 inwardly toward each other about scorelines 3-1 will place inner bottom panels 37 one upon the other and overlying main or outer bottom panel 21. This sequence of forming is indicated in Fig. 3 and shown completed in Fig. 4; in both figures, panels 34 and 26 are shown broken outwardly about scorelines 35 and 27, respectively, although such displacement of these panels is not necessary to container assembly. It is noted that positioning of inner bottom panels 37 one upon the other places notches 48 along and adjacent the bottom panel edges, as defined by scorelines 23 and 25, with the outer notches of each inner bottom panel registering one with another whereby to provide three notches on each side of the container, the purpose of which will be described later.

As seen in Fig. 4 each inner liner panel 44 is folded upwardly and about spaced apart scorelines 45, to disposition overlying and spaced from the adjacent outer liner panel 42 and thereafter the inner and outer liner panels are folded as a unit upwardly about scoreline 41, which scoreline joins the outer liner panel 42 to the outer side panel 24, placing each unit of said spaced apart liner panels in a plane normal to the side panel 24, which as viewed in Fig. 4 is an upstanding position. Folding outer side panel 24 upwardly about scoreline 25 pivots the upstanding units of spaced apart liner panels inwardly to disposition adjacent the outer end panels 32, see Fig. 5.

The steps thus far described provide a container having a bottom wall with outer side and end walls extending vertically therefrom, and there remains but the infolding of inner end panels 34 and inner side panels 26 and 28 to effect a completely assembled and locked container. In this respect, and as best seen in Fig. 5, inner end panels 34 are folded inwardly about spaced apart score lines 35 to disposition adjacent inner liner panels 44, the side flaps 60 being folded back by and frictionally engaging WllJh the inner surfaces of outer side panels 22 and 24. Inner side panels 26 and 28 are now folded inwardly about spaced apart scorelines 27 and 29, respectively, to disposition adjacent outer side panels 22 and 24, respectively, whereupon tabs 49 enter into the notches 48 formed in the bottom panels 37 along the side edges thereof, locking the container in assembled condition. A container thus assembled would provide oppositely disposed end walls 12, each comprising an outer end pane1, an outer liner panel, an inner liner panel, and an inner end panel, oppositely disposed side walls 11, each comprising an outer side panel and an inner side panel, and a bottom wall 14 comprising an outer bottom panel and overlapped inner bottom panels.

Concerning the described tab locking it should be noted that side edges 50 of inner side panel 26 and side edges 52 of inner side panel 28 are outwardly divergently formed, so that the length of each inner side panel at its outer free edge is greater than the length at its hinged edge, 27 and 29, respectively. Thus, upon inward displacement of inner side panels 26 and 28, triangular shaped portions 56 and 57, respectively, are folded back about angulate scorelines 51 and 53, respectively, and only the centrally located tab 49 of each. inner side panel 26 and 28 is seated in notch 48 upon initial positioning of said inner side panels adjacent the outer side panels. Such condition is illustrated in the left hand portion of Fig. 6, wherein a triangular portion or flap 56 of inner side panel 26 is shown unseated, said flap having been wiped back about scoreline 51 by end wall 12, during the infolding of said inner side panel. The seating of the particular tab 49 of triangular flap 56 into the adjacent and corresponding notch 48, see Fig. 7, requires returning the flap to the plane of inner side panel 26 and involves tapered flap edge 50 engaging inner end panel 34, whereby to displace the inner end panel 34 and adjacent inner liner panel 44 to an inclined position, as illustrated in the right hand portion of Fig. 6. This wedging of the triangular locking flaps against the inner panels of end walls 12 affords a very rigid and strong interlocking of parts, making accidental unlocking of parts virtually impossible.

It is also noted that the locking of inner side panels 26 and 28 in a position adjacent outer side panels 22 and 24, respectively, traps the flaps 60 of inner end panels 34 therebetween. In view of this, and the inclined disposition of both inner panels of end walls 12, the end wall construction has no tendency to loosen or unroll but rather remains compact as shown.

Referring once again to Fig. 2, outer end panels 32 and outer liner panels 42 are provided with hinged flaps 63 and 64, respectively, which upon assembly of the container places a panel 32 adjacent a panel 42 aligning the respective flaps 63 and 64 thereof, see Figs. 6 and 7. Displacement of the flaps inwardly afiords hand holes 65 and efiects an interlocking of said panels.

The container as described is formed from a unitary blank which, in eflect, comprises two sections of hingedly connected panels joined at but one point. Thus, one section comprising panels 34, 34, 32, 32, 37, 37, 26, and 22 is hingedly connected to main panel 21 along scoreline 23, and the other section comprising panels 42, 42, 44, 44, 28, and 24 is hingedly connected to said main panel 21 along scoreline 25. The panels of the one section are manipulated to provide a vertically disposed two-ply side wall having a two-ply end wall formed at each end thereof normal thereto, said end walls each having a bottom panelv extending therefrom, overlyingthe main panel, and the panels of the other section are manipulated to provide a vertically disposed two-ply side wall having a two-ply end wall formed at each end thereof normal thereto. Each two-ply end wall of the one section combines and cooperates with a two-ply end wall of the other section to-afiord a four-ply end wall, said end walls being locked in such cooperating disposition by the side walls, and said side walls being interlocked with the container bottom wall.

It is apparent from the foregoing description, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a container formed from a single sheet of material, such as paperboard, having multiwall construction and being interlocked in assembly Without resort to additional or separate securing means. The novel locking means embodied in the construction aiford an integral container which is very strong and capable of accommodating heavy loads, and which provides end .Walls having great stacking strength. Inasmuch as the multi-ply side and end walls are arranged to offer hollow walls, shocks or blows received at the container exterior surfaces are not readily transmitted to the inner walls, thus reducing the possibility of damage to produce packed therein.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, and in reference to one embodiment, it is to be understood that many variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the broad aspects of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A container of paperboard or like material formed from a single sheet of material comprising an outer bottom panel having a pair of outer side panels hingedly connected to opposite edges thereof and extending upwardly vertically therefrom, said outer side panels each having an inner side panel coextensive therewith hingedly connected at the upper edge of the respective outer side panel, outer end panels hingedly connected to opposite side edges of one outer side panel and extending from said one outer side panel in a plane normal thereto towards the other outer side panel, said outer end panels each having an inner end panel coextensive therewith hingedly connected at the upper edge of the respective outer end panel, end liner panels hingedly connected to opposite side edges of the other outer side panel and extending from said other outer side panel in a plane normal thereto towards the one outer side panel, to disposition between the outer end panel and the inner end panel, an inner bottom panel hingedly connected at the lower edge of each outer end panel having notches formed in the edges thereof adjacent the inner side panels, said inner bottom panels extending to disposition overlying the outer bottom panel, with one inner bottom panel overlapping the other inner bottom panel, whereby the notches of the one inner bottom panel in the area of overlap are in register with the notches of the other inner bottom panel, and means locking the inner side panels to the inner bottom panels, said means including tabs formed on the edge of each inner side panel adjacent the inner bottom panels, in register with and seated in the notches of the overlapped inner bottom panels, the side edges of each inner side panel diverging outwardly relative to the hinged connection of said inner side panel to the adjacent outer side panel, each inner side panel being formed with a pair of scorelines which converge outwardly relative to the hinged connection of said inner side panel to the adjacent outer side panel, each said scoreline beginning at the juncture of the hinged connection and a side edge of the inner side panel, and running angularly to the free edge opposite said hinged connection, to define a triangular flap at each corner of the inner side panel adjacent the free edge thereof, said triangular flaps being displaceable from the plape of their respective inner side panelto facilitate disposition of said inner side panel vertically coextensive with the adjacent outer side panel, and return of the triangular flaps to the plane of their respective inner side panels afiording frictional engagement between the side edges of the inner side panels and the adjacent inner end panels, said inner end panels displaced outwardly angularly downwardly to provide an end wall of multithickness having an outer panel disposed vertically relative to the bottom panels and an inner panel tapered outwardly relative to said bottom panels to form an end wall relatively wide in cross section at its upper surface and relatively narrow in cross section in the area adjacent the bottom panels.

2. A container of paperboard or like material formed from a single sheet of material comprising an outer bottom panel having a pair of outer side panels hingedly connected to opposite edges thereof and extending upwardly vertically therefrom, said outer side panels each having an inner side panel coextensive therewith hingedly connected at the upper edge of the respective outer side panel, outer end panels hingedly connected to opposite side edges of one outer side panel and extending from said one outer side panel in a plane normal thereto towards the other outer side panel, said outer end panels each having an inner end panel coextensive therewith hingedly connected at the upper edge of the respective outer end panel, end liner panels hingedly connected to opposite side edges of the other outer side panel and extending from said other outer side panel in a plane normal thereto towards the one outer side panel, to disposition between the outer end panel and the inner end panel, an inner bottom panel hingedly connected at the lower edge of each outer end panel having notches formed in the edges thereof adjacent the inner side panels, and means locking the inner side panels to the inner bottom panels, said means including tabs formed on the edge of each inner side panel adjacent the inner bottom panels, in

register with and seated in the notches of the inner bottom panels, the side edges of each inner side panel diverging outwardly relative to the hinged connection of said inner side panel to the adjacent outer side panel, each inner side panel being formed with a pair of scorelines which converge outwardly relative to the hinged connection of said inner side panel to the adjacent outer side panel, each said scoreline beginning at the juncture of the hinged connection and a side edge of the inner side panel, and running angularly to the free edge opposite said hinged connection, to define a triangular flap at each corner of the inner side panel adjacent the free edge thereof, said triangular flaps being displaceable from the plane of their respective inner side panel to facilitate disposition of said inner side panel vertically coextensive with the adjacent outer side panel, and return of the triangular flaps to the plane of their respective inner side panels aflording frictional engagement between the side edges of the inner side panels and the adjacent inner end panels, said inner end panels displaced outwardly angularly downwardly to provide an end wall of rnulti-thickness having an outer panel disposed vertically relative to the bottom panels and an inner panel tapered outwardly relative to said bottom panels to form an end wall relatively wide in cross section at its upper surface and relatively narrow in cross section in the area adjacent the bottom panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,317 Rosenthal Apr. 21, 1936 2,189,602 Denny Feb. 6, 1940 2,196,502 Kells Apr. 9, 1940 2,594,628 Evans Apr. 29, 1952 2,845,211 Hauck et al July 29, 1958 2,859,906 Guyer Nov. 11, 1958 

